The Joint Awami Action Committee of Rawalakot from Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) has sent a strong warning to the Pakistan Army amid rising tensions in Balochistan.
If the military tries to put an end to their continuous insurrection, they have warned a ruthless retribution. The committee’s leader, Raja Ghulam Mujtaba, said that if oppression persists, they will fight back rather than run away. He also suggested that the army would find the bodies of soldiers in Mangla Dam rather than in Balochistan.
Significant unrest has been occurring in Balochistan as a result of calls for increased political autonomy and authority over the country’s natural riches. Violent crackdowns on protests have resulted from the Pakistani government’s military actions in response. Public indignation has recently increased in response to the detention of Mahrang Baloch, a well-known human rights advocate and the head of the Baloch Yakjehti Committee. Her detention has prompted large-scale protests in several locations throughout the region and came after protests about police brutality against protesters.
Recent events like the Baloch separatists’ takeover of the Jaffar Express train, which claimed many lives and brought attention to the long-standing complaints of the Baloch people against the government, have exacerbated this turmoil.
Protests have broken out in several places, including Turbat and Quetta, as a result of the Pakistani government’s oppressive tactics, which have only encouraged more opposition.
The warning from PoK highlights a growing sentiment of rebellion against Islamabad’s authority as the Pakistan Army faces difficulties on several fronts, including insurgencies in both Balochistan and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. The statement from the Joint Awami Action Committee is indicative of a larger dissatisfaction among PoK displaced people who are calling for rights and political representation in Pakistan’s democratic system.
